Cigar-case.



C. LENFANT.

GIGAB CASE. APPLICATION IILED SEPT. 11, 1909.

Patented Nov. 22, 1910.

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CHARLES LENFANL, OIE NEW YORK, N. Y.

CIGAR-CASE.

Ta all wwm it may concem:

Be it known that I, CHARLES LENFANT, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at New York, in the borough of Manhattan, county and State of New York, have invented certain new and nsefnl Improvements in Cigar-Cases, of Which the io1lovving is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved cigar-case of that type which is known as a flexible cigar-case and which is used without a cover.

The flexible cigar-cases heretofore in use and which are carried in the vest or coat pockets have the disadvantage that the last cigar or cigars assume an inclined or diagonal position in the case and are thereby easily injured and broken by the slightest pressure on the case. At'the same time the closed bottom of the case is not reinforced and furnishes but little resistance against pressure.

The object of this invention is to snpply a flexible coverless cigar-case in which the cigar s are always held in proper position and :protected against accidental injnry, so that it is especiall y adapted for the use of traveling salesmen and others vvho desire to carry a supply of cigars along with them; and for this purpose the invention consists of a cigar-case open at the top and closed at the bottom and provided with one or more partitions, said case being composed of a lining reinforced at the sides and bottom, and an exterior layer of leather or other suitable The partition of the case is formed of a single or double layer and passed through slits in the lining and attached at the bonis-over ends to the lining.

The invention consists further of the con j struction of the cigar-case provided with a view of the lining, partly closed atthe bot- Speefication of Letters Patent.

Application filed September 11, 1909.

Patented Nov. 22, 1910.

Serial No. 517,305.

tom, Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the lining closed at the bottom and sides, and show1ng the partition and reinforcing cap pieces, Figs. 4 and 5 are respectively vertical transverse sections throngh the lining and through the lining and case, Figs. 6 and 7 are detail views .of the blanks for the lining and covering layer, and Fig. 8 is a hori zontal section of the case on line 8, 8, Fig. 1.

Similar letters of reference indicate cor responding parts throughout the several figures.

Referring to the drawings, a represents the lining and b the covering layer of my improved flexible coverless cigar-case. Both the lining and the covering layer are made each of a one-piece blank a 6 which blanks are out by suitable knives. The lining is preferably made of thin calfskin or other snitable material, and the covering layer of black Walrus leather or other stout leather or other material.

The blank a for the lining is shown in Fig. 6, and consists of two wider portions (L and two narrower portions a provided With tongue-shaped ends a*. A narrow strip a extends along one of the narrower portions a and a narrow strip a along the transverse end of one of the wider portions aF. The ends of the wider and narrower portions are curved, conforming to the ontline of a cigar. The lining is shaped from the blank a on a block having the shape of the cigar-case when finished, and which is provided vvith a central longitudinal slit. The lower ends of the wider portions a are overlapped and pasted together so as to be closed at the lower end. One and of the blank a is pasted by its side-strip to the opposite end of the blank so as to close it at the side. A slit 2' is then 1nade into both side-walls of the lining by inserting a knife, said slits extending approximately to near the upper end of the lining and to some distance from the bottom of the same, as shown in Fig. 2. A reinforcing cap d, of mnslin or other fabric, is then placed over the lower closed end of the lining (L, and a second longer cap (Z also of muslin or other suitable abric, placed over the shorter cap, both caps forming a cappiece serving for rein forcing the lower end of the case. The tongueshapedends 64 of the narrower por tions of the blank are skived at the edges and are then pasted over the longer reinforcing cap and the lower corners of the lining, as shown in Fig. 3, the tongues being of sufiicient length and width to be brought over the slightly rounded-off corners and bottom-edge of the lining.

A single or double layer 6, of leather or other suitable fabric, is then passed through the slits 2' of the lining, said layer being .its longitudinal sides being reduced by skiving to the required degree of thinness and pasted in position on the outside of the lining, but when the partition is made of two pieces it forms a sleeve which extends through the greater length of the case, either at the median lino or at one or the other side of the same, which sleeve can be used as a receptacle for a cigar-cutter, pencil, nailfile or other article which is desired to be carried in the case. For smaller cases, con taining four or more cigars, one transverse partition, while for wider cases two or more partitions, may be used, so as to divide the interior of the case into several compart ments in which the cigars are placed. VVhen the cigar-case is made up for four cigars,

the partition is located at the center of the case. When it is made up for five cigars,

the partition is placed at one side of the center. WVhen the case is made up for six or more cigars, two or more partitions are used. W'hether one or more partitions are used, the object of the same is to protect the cigars from shifting their position in the case, and to protect the last cigar or cigars from slipping into inclined or diagonal position in the case, in Which position they are liable to be injured or broken When carried in the vest or coat pocket.

The lining is covered while still on the block by the covering layer 6, which is pasted over the lining and which is made from the blank b shown in Fig. 7, the blank being made of two wide side-portions 6 connected at their shorter ends. One side-portion is proizicled with wider sidestrips 6 and the other with narrower sidestrips b*, which are skived, overlapped and pasted together so as to form the inwardly springing gussets 9 of the case. The sidestrips N, 5 are curved inwardly towarcl the meeting edge of the side-portions, so as to produce thereby the curved lower portion of the case. The edges of the opposite ends of' the covering layer 6 are skived and folded inwardly over the edge of the lining a and interposed strips g et Waterproof fabric for permitting the independent movement of the layers of the gussets. The cigarcase can also be made in larger or smaller sizes so as to be used for cigars of extra length and thickriess and for cigarettes. In the latter case, however, the exterior form of the case is not curved or tapered toward the lower end, butmade straight with slightly rounded-ofl corners, so as to correspond to the shape of the cigarettes carried in the same. The lining and cover, instead of being made of a onepiece blank, can also be made of several pieces united by skived and overlapping edge-strips. The case can also be made in any size and shape and of stifl' or flexible material.

The advantages of my improved flexible cigarcase are that the same can be easily carried in the pocket, the smaller cases in the vest-pocket and the larger cases in the coatpocket; that it holds the cigars in the required upright position up to the last cigar and protects them thereby against shifting and injury; that by the yielding nature of the case the same adapts itself to the shape of the pocket withont injuring the cigars in the case; that the case being curved or tapering toward the bottom, can be conveniently t.

formed by the double partition of the case,

a cigar-cutter, pencil or other article can be carried.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. A cigar-case open at the top and closed at the bottom and provided with a lining, M

and a flexible, foldable partition the ends of which are passed through slits in the upper portion of the lining and attached to the outer surface of the lining between the same and the case.

2. A cigarcaSe open at the top and closed at the bottom and composed of a flexible lining having longitudinal slits in its upper portion, a flexible foldable partition passed through the slits in the lining and folded at its ends over the outside of the lining, and an outer or covering layer attached to the lining.

3. A cigar-case made of a lining.closed at the sides, a partition extending across the lining and attached thereto, a reinforcing cap-piece extending over the lower end of the lining, and a covering layer closed at the bottom and having overlapping sidestrips forming gussets.

4. Acigar-case composed of a lining closed at the sides, a partition extending across the lining and attached theret0, a reinforcing cap-piece extending over the lower end of the lining, and a covering layer closed at the bottom and provided with narrow side strips al0ng 0ne side-portion and witli wider side-strps at the opposite sideportion, said side-strps being overlapped and pasted together so as to form the gussets of the case;

5. A cigar-case comprising a stout flexible covering layer having wide fiat sides, side-gussets and a tapering lower end, a thin flexible lining pasted to the inner face and provided with vertical slits near the upper ends of the wide-sides of the covering layer and a foldable flexible partit-ion extendng transversely vertically across the case, thr0ugh said vertical slits and having its ends pasted between the c0vering and the lining.

6. A cigar-caee comprising a stout flexi ble covering layer having wide fiat sides, side-gussets and a tapering lower end, a thin flexible lining pasted to the inner face and provided with vertical slits near the upper ends of the widesides of the covering layer and a foldable flexible partition extending transversely vertically across the case, through said vertical slits and having its ends pasted between the covering and the lining, said slits terminating remote from the tapering l0wer end and said partition comprising two pieces adapted to fold clown the middle and to extend in opposite directions when the case is folded fiat, and adapted to lie against each other when the case is opened.

In testimony, that I daim the foregoing as my invention, I have signed my name in presence of two subScribing witnesses.

CHARLES LENFANT.

Witnesses PAUL GOEPEL, J. A. COK. 

